Smudging

To smudge, you will need the following:

1. Some sage

2. Something to burn it in (a shell or a small pot of some kind which will not crack under heat)

3. A feather

4. What you want to smudge (you, a gift, etc.)

Light the sage and offer it to the directions. Offer the sage to the West (Yanu, the Bear), to the North (Yunsu, the Buffalo), to the East (Awaheli, the Eagle), and to the South (Tsistu, the Rabbit.) Then raise the sage up and offer it to Galunlati, the Skyfather. Lower the sage and offer it to Agisegwa, the Earth mother. Then move the sage from one shoulder to the next, letting the smoke drift behind you. Offer the sage to your spirit guides, totems, etc.

As you offer the sage to each direction you may want to state some sort of personal prayer. For example, for the West I might say, "I offer this sage to Yanu, the Bear. I ask for your strength and guidance." Do this with each direction, personalizing the prayer.

Once you have offered the sage to the directions, use the feather to move the smoke over your body, moving it down into Mother Earth and then up over your body. As I do this I like to add something along the lines of, "Let my heart be pure" at the heart chakra; "Let my words speak true" at the throat chakra; and "Let my thoughts be pure and let me walk in your ways" at my crown chakra. Run your hands through the smoke, and move the smoke over you again. Again, personalize the prayers for your own use.

Then, if you wish to smudge an object, use the feather to move the sage smoke over the object (s) and ask that they be cleansed of any negativity, and that they be able to fulfill their purposes for existence.

When done, put the container of sage in a safe place until it has entirely gone out and cooled. Take the cooled sage outside and offer it to Mother Earth, placing it on the ground near where you live.

One of the best things about Native American spirituality is its personal nature. Rather than follow a particular book or books with a set of principles carved in stone, much of Native American spirituality is really up to the individual on how he or she wishes to express his or her connection with the sacred.